Science Fiction Trivia

[ffutures]

Another clue - One of the author's Hugo-winning novels was to be filmed, but the project never reached fruition. The script and set designs were subsequently of interest to the CIA.

Aha! Roger Zelazny, then … which would mean the book is Roadmarks, and the two AIs are Les Fleurs du Mal ("Flowers") and Leaves of Grass ("Leaves").

Absolutely right - give the man a stiletto (got fed up with slippers). Your turn!

[Disembodied]

Thankyew … today's question is: name five SF sports. TV and film sports are not permitted, otherwise it's too easy - so no rollerball, no pyramid (aka crap basketball from Battlestar Galactica), no ill-considered thing played in tight pyjamas on Star Trek: TNG. And it has to have a name, too - so "gladiator fights in Dune" don't count, either.

[Cody]

Does 'sport' include games? You can probably guess which game I'm thinking of.

[Disembodied]

I think a sport should be something involving more-or-less strenuous physical activity and skill. For clarity, I would class e.g. snooker and darts - even though they require physical skill - as games, not sports. If you can do it while drinking and smoking, it's a game, not a sport … golf is probably on the cusp, here: although you can play it while drinking and smoking, you rarely see top professionals playing it while drinking and smoking.

In fact, let's make it team sports only - no single-player stuff, like annoying holodeck space-squash from Deep Space 9.

[ffutures]

I take it we're not talking about things like conventional sports adapted to zero / low gravity, airlessness, etc.?

[Disembodied]

I take it we're not talking about things like conventional sports adapted to zero / low gravity, airlessness, etc.?

A good point: ideally, no. I'll rule out Oolite's own zero-G cricket, zero-G hockey, and vacuum karate (and the latter I assume is probably not a team sport anyway). However, it's worth noting that this doesn't rule out fictional sports which share parts of their names with real ones. "Association Football" and "American Football" are both separate sports - so if anyone can find a source for some form of alien football, for example, that would be acceptable.

[Cody]

Hmm, tricky... might need some teamwork.

I think German Batball gets a mention in The Sirens of Titan.

[Disembodied]

I think German Batball gets a mention in The Sirens of Titan.

German Batball would count, certainly. That's one!

[ffutures]

Aeroball, from the Harlem Heroes strip in early issues of 2000 AD
It's Football, Boxing, Kung Fu and Basketball all rolled into one! Players roar through the air wearing jet packs (controlled by buttons on their belts) and score "air strikes" by getting the ball in the "score tank".

[Disembodied]

Aeroball, from the Harlem Heroes strip in early issues of 2000 AD

Yep, Aeroball is another … comics could prove to be quite a rich source of SF sports!

[Smivs]

... and staying with 2000AD, how about Street Football? I remember this as a none-too-subtle blend of soccer and gladiatorial combat, so not something some of today's footie snowflakes would enjoy

[Cody]

Football is a gentleman's game played by thugs, whereas Rugby is a thug's game played by gentlemen!

[Disembodied]

... and staying with 2000AD, how about Street Football? I remember this as a none-too-subtle blend of soccer and gladiatorial combat, so not something some of today's footie snowflakes would enjoy

Street Football is another … that's three!

[spud42]

Brockian Ultra-Cricket, Life, the Universe and Everything. Douglas Adams.

[Disembodied]

Brockian Ultra-Cricket, Life, the Universe and Everything. Douglas Adams.

"Let's be blunt, it's a nasty game." Brockian Ultra-Cricket makes four! One to go …